Wednesday, September 13, 2017

city park

Fall weather and the thoughts of city parks take me back to the years of my childhood and youth. Every year for many decades my father's extended family gathered for the Rogers' reunion. The concrete picnic tables of Finch Park would be ladened with all the wonderful fresh garden foods of the rural families. Fresh blackeyed peas and fried okra, platters of sliced tomatoes, home made pickles and relishes brimmed over the edges of the dishes. Some of the women had killed chickens the day before and so the fried chicken was better than anything I taste today. Pies, cakes and cookies were on the dessert tables. The old 20 gallon coolers used to hold water in the cotton fields were filled with tea and lemonade cooled by the blocks of ice from the ice store. These foods were eaten with the plates, flatware and glasses brought from home.

September in Texas was still hot and dusty as the usual fall rains would not arrive till in October. Playing with cousins on the swings, slides and merry go rounds was such great fun. Being a bit of a tomboy I worried little about sliding 'like a little lady' even though I would be attired in a newly made dress for the occasion. The reunion would end in time for the farmers to go home, milk the cows and attend evening church services.

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